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Michael Carrick Biography

Michael Carrick has finally arrived at one of the big clubs he always dreamed of joining, and looks set to win himself a first-team spot with the Red Devils, in spite of some top competition.

Carrick's first goals in football came for Wallsend Boys Club (near Newcastle), and it was preformances in their black-and-white striped tops that led to him being scouted.

Supposedly picked up by geordie Scout Dave Mooney, Carrick took the decision to move all the way down to London, and West Ham's academy, despite some interest from clubs closer to home.

It wasn't long before he was making an impression there - helping the youth team to win the Youth FA Cup, and then going on to make his debut in 1999, aged just 18 when he came on for Rio Ferdinand as a subsitute!)

A couple of loan spells at Birmingham and Swindon followed to toughen Michael up, and then he was a fixture in the West Ham first team, with whom he tasted relegation in 2003.

A season in the first division saw him improve his physical game, though he jumped at the chance to return to top-level football when Spurs came knocking in 2004.

His first caps for England came as sub appearances in 2001, aged just 20, but he had to wait a while to actually start for England - which he did in 2005 on England's tour of America.

Good performances for Tottenham led to them challenging for the Champions League, and him challenging for a spot in England's first team.

His performances at the World Cup only increased demand for his services, and a deal was finally agreed at the third time of asking by Manchester United, who struggled to match Spurs' valuation of a player who cost just £2.75m in 2004.

Carrick none-the-less arrived at Old Trafford, for a reported fee of £13.5m wuith another £5m in bonuses dependent upon player and club performances.

He took the num,ber 16 shirt, and is all set for a fresh start, and a chance to land the title.